Scotland records 1,152 alcohol deaths as deprivation gap widens

Summarised from 3 outlets · 4 reports · Updated 27 Oct, 11:32 · Archive

Scotland recorded 1,152 alcohol-specific deaths in 2025, down 3 per cent, but the gap between richest and poorest widened.

Scotland recorded 1,152 alcohol-specific deaths in 2025, a decrease of 33 deaths or 3 per cent from the 1,185 recorded in 2024. This is the lowest number recorded nationally in any year since 2020. Glasgow recorded 154 deaths from alcohol-specific causes in 2025, just one fewer than 155 in 2024, and remained among six council areas with rates above the Scottish average.

The overall national rate, after adjusting for age, stood at 20.2 alcohol-specific deaths per 100,000 people. Men accounted for more than twice the rate of deaths among women. Male alcohol-specific deaths fell by 43, or 5 per cent, while female deaths increased by 10, or 3 per cent. People aged 45 to 64 and those aged 65 to 74 had the highest rates.

The deprivation gap widened significantly. The death rate for those in the least affluent areas was 40.2 per 100,000, compared to 8.3 per 100,000 for the most affluent—a gap of 31.9, up from 31.2 the previous year. Dr Maria Casserly, chairwoman of the addictions faculty at the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland, described the reduction as 'positive' but warned that alcohol-related harm remained one of Scotland's most pressing public health challenges. She noted that Scotland continues to have some of the highest rates in the UK and called for sustained action on prevention and treatment.

How it is being reported

• Glasgow has highest alcohol deaths in Scotland but this is 'only part of the picture'Over the last five years, Glasgow remains to have had the highest rate of alcohol deaths in Scotland.Glasgow Live · 27 Oct, 13:10
• Suspected drug deaths in Scotland drop by 28 per cent, new figures showThe number of suspected drug deaths in Scotland in the most recent quarter have dropped by 28%, figures show.The Herald · 27 Oct, 12:53
• Alcohol deaths in Scotland down 3 per cent as gap between richest and poorest widensThe total number of alcohol deaths in Scotland has dropped by 3%, new figures show, but the gap between the richest and poorest has increased.The Herald · 27 Oct, 10:56
• Number of alcohol-related deaths in Glasgow revealed as hundreds lose their livesGlasgow recorded 155 alcohol-specific deaths in 2025, while Scotland’s rate remains among the UK’s highest, with deprivation driving a stark health gap.Glasgow Times · 27 Oct, 10:03

In this story: Scotland · Glasgow · National Records of Scotland · Royal College of Psychiatrists in Scotland · Dr Maria Casserly

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